How much weight can closed tailgate support?

[obrien]

Hi,
I could not find it in manual nor here -> does anyone know much weight can I "rest" on closed tailgate? Assuming I am hauling something longer than my bed, it will be resting on closed tailgate and I want to make sure I won't overload it. I am asking for traditional tailgate, not multifunctional.
Thx!

 

[singlerail]

why wouldn't you use the open tailgate so the weight is 80% inside the truck bed... Ive heard the tailgate is rated at over 300lbs though, cant find that info

 

[Nukegm426]

Your going to damage the plastic cap and dent the actual tailgate before the latch and hinges fail in the closed position

 

[Eighty]

Hi,
I could not find it in manual nor here -> does anyone know much weight can I "rest" on closed tailgate? Assuming I am hauling something longer than my bed, it will be resting on closed tailgate and I want to make sure I won't overload it. I am asking for traditional tailgate, not multifunctional.
Thx!

I’m not aware of any specs on loading over the top of a closed tailgate. But you might get some experiential feedback from the group if you can be a little more specific. Are you talking about point-loading a spot on your tailgate (like draping a 10’ long I-beam over it), or placing a distributed load across it (like a stack of 2x4’s)? Either one is probably a bad idea, but perhaps a more specific question would help.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

A stack of 2x4s would probably be a great example. I loaded past trucks like this all the time so you did not have to strap the crap out of it. Too bad options are limited to a bare bones truck to get a normal cab and a full size bed. Not every truck is akid hauler.

 

[jkm312]

Eventually the weight will knock the tailgate latches out of adjustment if you load heavy and often. It will force you to slam the tailgate harder and harder as time goes on. Worst case is the latches fail and turn your pick up into a dump truck.
A couple sheets of plywood, sheet goods at a time won't hurt as long as you aren't bouncing down a rough road. It's a good idea to strap them down so the wind doesn't unload them for you before you are ready, especially the 1/4 stuff. A couple of layers of 2 x framing lumber will be alright. Keep in mind these are aluminum tailgates, they aren't the old steel ones of past trucks.

 

[obrien]

Well I don't really have one example as I use my truck to just get materials for my projects. Like last time I haul 5 sheets of 3/4 inch plywood or tomorrow I am gonna bring some rectangular tubing. Especially with the steel it is easy to go into 100s lbs pretty quick so I wanted to make sure. Of course I can open tailgate and just rest it on it but I feel much more secure with cargo facing up resting on tailgate than being flat on the bed. Of course I will strap it but still

 

[Eighty]

Well I don't really have one example as I use my truck to just get materials for my projects. Like last time I haul 5 sheets of 3/4 inch plywood or tomorrow I am gonna bring some rectangular tubing. Especially with the steel it is easy to go into 100s lbs pretty quick so I wanted to make sure. Of course I can open tailgate and just rest it on it but I feel much more secure with cargo facing up resting on tailgate than being flat on the bed. Of course I will strap it but still

I’ve always been the opposite. I feel much more comfortable with the load flat on the bed. I tend to go overboard with straps, so I don’t have to worry about anything coming out.
It also makes loading and unloading a LOT easier.
The only time I put material in with the gate up is when the load is (1) light, and (2) long enough that I would worry about traffic behind me hitting the load.
That said, I’ll never understand why nobody makes trucks with tie-down anchor points at the front-bottom of the bed. When loads are a little tippy, I’d sure feel better with a tie-down up there.

 

[jdmartin]

I rarely load where I am resting the load on the upright tailgate any more, because A) I have a truck cap on my bed, and then I have to bungee the door down, and B) The load is safer, more secure, and easier to deal with if it's lying flat on the bed floor. I have a bed extender for my trailer hitch that lets me haul 16 foot lumber when necessary (like when we're doing a deck), but anything that's shorter than 12 feet I just lie flat into the bed, ratchet strap it together and put a couple of bungees from the strap to the tie downs. Stuff lying flat, if you put a couple tie-downs on it, won't go anywhere even if you have to hard brake. You just got to know how to load - sheet goods on bottom, longest to shortest lumber stacked on top of that, smallest width on the top. I like to toss a bag or two of cement on the whole load once it's strapped into the front of the bed, if I have it (and usually I do if I'm buying that much lumber), but the main thing is that the load is ratcheted together as one single load, then bungee cord from the ratchet to the tie downs. I'll use two - one on each side, crossed over.